1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to weight lifting equipment and more particularly, to a bench press frame with barbell assist which is characterized by a bench press frame fitted with multiple, spaced pulleys for receiving a pair of cables, spaced common ends of which cables are attached to a barbell resting on the bench press frame and the opposite ends of which are secured to the pivoting element of a foot assist assembly. The pivoting element is pivotally attached to the lower end of the bench in the bench press frame and is positioned to receive the feet of an exerciser when the exerciser is lying on the bench facing upwardly and is grasping the barbell in bench-press orientation. Accordingly, when the barbell is grasped by the exerciser in this manner and is raised and lowered in conventional bench-press sequence, the pivoting element in the foot assist assembly can be selectively manipulated by the instep of the feet to assist the arms in raising the barbell during the last of a series of repetitions and help replace the barbell on a pair of barbell flanges extending from the bench press frame. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a pair of adjusting chains connect corresponding ends of the cables to the pivoting element of the foot assist assembly by means of S-hooks, in order to adjustably link the cables to the pivoting element, adjust the travel of the cables and compensate for the difference in arm and leg length of various people who use the bench press frame with barbell assist.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, there has developed an explosion in the design and use of exercising equipment, with modern emphasis away from the older "free weight" exercise apparatus, in favor of sophisticated apparatus and equipment which utilize air cylinders, pulleys and rod-mounted stacked weight systems, as well as other resistant-type apparatus for application of tension and compression on the body. U.S. Pat. No. 4,358,108, dated Nov. 9, 1982, to Harvey C. Voris, discloses an "Apparatus For Exercising the Hamstring or Quadricep Muscle Groups". This patent details a combined exercise apparatus which includes a frame, a structure for locating at least one knee of a user relative to the frame when the user is either in a sitting or a standing position and a mechanism for engaging and resisting pivotal movement of the lower leg of the user. Engaging and resisting means includes at least one pivot arm engagable with the lower leg of the user and suspended for pivotal movement about a machine axis parallel to the joint axis of the knee, the location of the machine axis being adjustable to substantially coincide with the joint axis of the user's knee when the user is in either the sitting or the standing position. U.S. Pat. No. 4,390,179, dated June 28, 1983, to K. Z. Szkalak, discloses a "Multi-Station Exercising Apparatus". This device includes a structural framework having a number of positions for stationing different types of exercising machines. Each of the machines is of the type which employs a pulley system to lift a variable weight. All of the pulley systems share a common central pulley which is pivotally attached to the frame-work. A single rope or cable is attached to the variable weight, passes through the central pulley and is removably attachable to the appropriate component of each of the exercising machines. The pivoting central pulley thus allows the weight to be selectively attached to the desired machine by means of the cable. Another "Exercise System" is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,475, dated Mar. 19, 1985, to Brad Olschansky, et al. The system facilitates reversible displacement of at least one weight element responsive to a lifting force imparted to the weight element by a user. The apparatus includes an exercise frame, as well as an arm-actuated mechanism and a leg-actuated machanism. The arm-actuated mechanism is secured to the exercise frame and is coupled to the weight element for reversibly displacing the weight element. The leg-actuated mechanism is also secured to the exercise frame and is further coupled to the weight element to allow reversible displacement of the weight element responsive to movement of the legs of the user. An exercise coupling mechanism is secured to the exercise frame and the weight element, in order to couple the arm-actuated mechanism to the leg-actuated mechanism for providing a lifting force to the weight element responsive to independent actuation of the leg mechanism or the arm mechanism or, in the alternative, to allow for a combined actuation of the leg and/or arm mechanisms. U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,186, dated Mar. 17, 1987, discloses a "Supine Bench With Leg Operated Free Weight Catch" developed by M. J. McCreery. In this weight system an elongated bench support, including head and foot ends, is provided for disposition in a generally horizontal or inclined position and against which a person wishing to carry out bench press exercises may repose on his or her back. Upstanding guide structure is disposed adjacent the head end of the bench support and follower structure is mounted thereon for guided movement herealong. The follower structure includes a bar-supporting structure for supporting a weighted bar therefrom and a foot-engagable support is mounted from the foot end of the bench support for guided movement generally longitudinally of the bench support. Motion transmitting structure operatively connects the foot-engagable support and the follower structure for raising and lowering the latter responsive to movement of the foot-engagable support away from and toward the head end of the bench. Further, releasable ratchet-type latch structure is operatively associated with the follower structure for releasably latching the follower structure against downward movement relative to the guide structure. The foot-engagable support includes latch operator structure shiftably supported therefrom for selectively actuating and releasing the latch structure. An "Exercise Apparatus" is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,185, dated July 7, 1987, to Parker E. Mahnke. The patent details a bench-type exercise device which can be readily adjusted into several different starting positions to permit the performance of a wide variety of body exercises in sitting, prone and reclined positions. The device is provided at the outboard end with a body-engaging subassembly which, in a lowered position, can be used for various leg exercises, such as leg extensions and in a raised position, can be used for the performance of various arm exercises such as arm curls. The device further embodies a remotely-located weight stack or other resistance-providing mechanism which is uniquely interconnected with the body-engaging subassembly by means of an adjustable linkage assembly to provide a constant, common, uniform and predetermined resistance to pivotal movement of the body-engaging elements, whether the elements are disposed in a lowered or elevated position and whether the device is being used for the performance of leg or arm exercises.
It is an object of this invention to provide a bench press frame having a barbell assist which is designed to assist the arms in lifting a barbell during bench press exercises, by using the feet and legs.
Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved assist mechanism for a bench press apparatus, which assist mechanism is characterized by a bench frame-mounted pulley and cable system that is operative to assist the arms in raising a barbell to a predetermined point of rest on the bench press apparatus, by using the feet and legs, in order to safeguard the exerciser during bench press exercising.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a bench press frame with barbell assist which is characterized by multiple pulleys mounted on a bench press frame supporting a barbell, which pulleys are traversed by a pair of spaced cables, respectively, a common end of each of which cables is attached to the barbell near the ends of the barbell and the opposite ends of the cables attached to the pivoting element of a pivoting foot assist assembly, wherein additional lift can be imparted to the barbell by operation of the foot assist assembly during bench press exercises to aid the exerciser in extending his arms and replacing the barbell on the bench press frame.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a bench press frame having a barbell assist therein, which barbell assist further includes a system of spaced pulleys attached to the bench press frame and carrying a pair of cables, a common end of which cables is attached in spaced relationship to a barbell resting on the bench press frame and the opposite ends to a chain connected to the pivoting element of a pivoting foot assist assembly, which is designed to assist the arms in raising the barbell to a predetermined height by operation of the feet during bench press workouts.